COIMBATORE: The forest department issued an order to capture Pandalur makhna 2 (PM2), an elephant which killed a 58-year-old woman and injured two others on Saturday at Valavayal near Devala. The animal had been damaging houses here for the past two and half years.
After protests from Valavayal residents, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas R Reddy issued the order directing the Field Director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) D Venkatesh to form a special team to capture ‘PM2’. On Monday, locals staged a blockade at Devala Bazaar demanding the animal’s capture. The stir was called off after officials showed them the capture order.
Nilgiris Collector SP Amrith told media a special team consisting of Veterinarians, a DFO, Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) along with four forest rangers and elephant trackers and catchers from Coimbatore arrived and they were camping in Devala to catch the elephant. Two Kumki elephants Wasim and Vijay will be assisting the operation. Normal activities won’t be affected, he said.
D Venkatesh, Field Director of MTR said “Pandalur Makhna entered Gudalur Forest division areas like Pandalur and Puliyamparai from Kerala several times from August 2020. The animal developed the habit of demolishing houses and eating food.”
An expert committee of officials and elephant experts formed by the state to study the human-wildlife conflict recommend capturing of PM2 as the animal is causing damages to the properties. Once captured, the officials were planning to release the animal deep inside MTR, said sources.